Transformers: Priorities
by Peter Strzelecki
Summary: Mirage is fed up with Optimus Prime's way of doing things, prefering his own. Will it get him killed?


Transformers: "Priorities"  
By Peter J. Strzelecki  
  
  
Open on: Decepticon city, earth. The Constructicons are busy putting the final touches on a fusion reactor just outside of the city. Servant rolls out of the city to Hook and transforms to robot.  
  
Servant: Trypticon demands you work faster!  
  
Hook: I refuse to be rushed! Building a fusion reactor under these primitive conditions is not an easy task!  
  
Servant: Trypticon will not accept excuses!  
  
Hook: And I will not accept imperfections in the reactor on account of your unrealistic schedule!  
  
Hook transforms into robot and stares down Servant.  
  
Hook: Now, leave us be!  
  
Scavenger: Hey, Hook! Hook! I'm detecting alien vehicles in the perimeter!  
  
Servant: Impossible; the city's radar systems gave no indication of this.  
  
Scavenger transforms to robot.  
  
Scavenger: But my sensors don't lie, we must...  
  
Hook: Scavenger; return to work... Servant - I want no interruptions of our job here. Send a squadron to investigate.  
  
Servant: Trypticon's radars register no disturbance. There will be no investigation.  
  
Servant walks away.  
  
Scrapper: Fool! Trypticon's pride will be our ruin!  
  
Longhaul: C'mon Hook - if there are Autobots in the area, let me and Bonecrusher check it out!  
  
Bonecrusher: Yeah, we won't be but a few minutes.  
  
Hook (sighs): I'd rather not, but security cannot be breached. Transform to robot modes and scan the perimeter from the air!  
  
Longhaul and Bonecrusher transform to robots.  
  
Longhaul: Finally, some action!  
  
The two Constructicons take to the air.  
  
Scrapper: If Trypticon finds out...  
  
Hook (with city in background): Then he can build his own fusion reactor!  
  
Cut To: Hound, jeep mode, is parked some distance away, recording the entire conversation.  
  
Scrapper (vo- Hound's radar): I wish Megatron were still in command of earth operations...  
  
Hound cuts the transmission.  
  
Hound: Hound to Mirage. Return to recon base. Airborne Constructicons coming in!  
  
Mirage suddenly materializes, he is in robot mode.  
  
Mirage: It's my fault. To think I could get past Trypticon's radars and be picked up by little Scavenger!  
  
Hound: Just be thankful the Decepticons don't take him seriously enough to send out a full-fledged hunting party!  
  
Mirage transforms into an indy race car.  
  
Mirage: Right! Let's roll out of here!  
  
The two Autobots gun their engines and go. Above, Longhaul and Bonecrusher swoop overhead.  
  
Bonecrusher: There! Two human cars!  
  
Longhaul: Man, I hope those are Autobots!  
  
Bonecrusher lands in front of them.  
  
Bonecrusher: Only one way to find out!  
  
Bonecrusher fires at them. Hound and Mirage dodge the blast, but are thrown off track.  
  
Longhaul also lands and proceeds to fire. He hits hound, who tumbles over.  
  
Hound: Ahh!  
  
Mirage heads straight for Bonecrusher and then dissapears.  
  
Bonecrusher: What?  
  
Suddenly, we hear the sound of someone Tranforming. Mirage then appears behind Bonecrusher and shoots him. Longhaul walks up to Hound and aims his gun.  
  
Longhaul: Die, Auto... huh?  
  
Suddenly, Optimus Prime is right behind Longhaul.  
  
Longhaul: Optimus Prime?!  
  
Hound transforms to robot mode and aims at Longhaul.  
  
Hound: Ever hear of a hologram, Constructicon?  
  
Hound fires, blasting Longhaul. The two Constructicons transform into vehicles and retreat.  
  
Mirage: Heh, heh! Guess they weren't as eager for combat as they thought.  
  
Hound: You kidding? I'm just happy we survived. Now let's report this back to home base!  
  
The two Autobots transform and roll out. Cut To: Decepticon City. Longhaul and Bonecrusher roll back in.  
  
Hook: What...what happened to you?  
  
Longhaul: Autobots!  
  
Hook gasps. Cut To: Autobot city. Hound and Mirage and in the medical bay, being patched up by Ratchet. Prime and Jazz are in the background.  
  
Optimus Prime: They're building a fusion generator?  
  
Hound: That's right Prime; and a big one!  
  
Mirage: The amount of energy it'll emit is astounding.  
  
Jazz: No doubt Megatron will transport that energy back to Cybertron.  
  
Hound: We have to destroy it!  
  
Jazz: Wait. The humans have been trying to develop fusion energy for years now.   
  
Hound: What are you saying Jazz?  
  
Jazz: At present, the humans subsist on either fossil fuels- which pollute earth's environment, or on nuclear fuel- which is hazardous to say the least...   
  
Optimus Prime: Fusion energy would offer them a safe and clean source of energy.  
  
Jazz: That's right.  
  
Mirage: With all due respect Prime - then let them build one. Our priority is to make sure the Decepticons don't gain energy from this!  
  
Optimus Prime: Our priority, Mirage, is to safeguard the earth.  
  
Mirage: I don't believe this! Our home planet is on the verge of Decepticon conquest and instead of preventing them from getting even more vital fuel - you're preoccupied with the welfare of these pesky flesh creatures?!  
  
Mirage walks on, to everyone's surprise.   
  
Jazz: Mirage; hang on my man!  
  
Optimus Prime: Leave him. We need a diversion to lead the Decepticons away from the fusion reactor...  
  
Hound: That's the easy part. Stealing the reactor will be slightly harder...  
  
Wheeljack suddenly runs in.  
  
Wheeljack: Optimus Prime!  
  
Optimus Prime: What is it, Wheeljack?  
  
Wheeljack: Mirage just busted into the armory, took enough ammo to level a human city and raced out of the city!  
  
Hound: Oh no!  
  
Optimus Prime: He's gone to destroy the reactor!  
  
Jazz: He's too fast on wheels for any of us to catch, and Skyfire's on a mission in space!  
  
Optimus Prime: That leaves only one option. This is Optimus Prime to Sunstreaker and Sideswipe!  
  
Cut To: Sideswipe is polishing Sunstreaker's chrome with turtle wax.  
  
Sideswipe: Sideswipe here; this better be good Prime!  
  
Optimus Prime (vo): Transform and pursue Mirage to Decepticon city!   
  
Sunstreaker: What's that wierdo gone and done now?  
  
Optimus Prime (vo): It's imperative he be stopped!  
  
Sunstreaker: Yeah, but what...  
  
Sideswipe: Hey, bro' - let's nab him first...  
  
Sideswipe transforms to car mode.  
  
Sideswipe: Ask questions later!  
  
The two brothers jet out of Autobot city, in pursuit of Mirage. Cut To: Decepticon City. The Constructicons have finished the fusion generator, and it is emitting energon cubes already.  
  
Servant: Perfect, Hook. The Fusion generator operates at maximum efficiency.  
  
Hook: Of course it does. I always do my job well.  
  
Scrapper: Unlike you, Servant! If you'd done your job and defended the perimeter; the Autobots wouldn't know about this!   
  
Mixmaster: Scrapper's right! They're bound to attack now!  
  
Servant: You fool! This is Decepticon city! Don't you think the Autobots spy on us constantly! Trypticon does not fear them!  
  
Scavenger: So, what do we do?  
  
Servant: If the Autobots dare attack us - we destroy them!  
  
Servant walks away.  
  
Scrapper: Brilliant strategy...  
  
Cut To: Mirage drives in and transforms. He scans the horrizon.  
  
Mirage: Okay, Scavenger...where are you?  
  
Finally, he sees Scavenger standing guard. We zoom in on him.  
  
Scavenger: Hm? Hey! My radar's are going nuts again! I...  
  
Suddenly, Scavenger is blasted to pieces by a missile! The other Constructicons gather round.  
  
Bonecrusher (pointing): There! It came from there!  
  
Hook: Come on!  
  
They run over to where Mirage was standing and find...nothing.  
  
Scrapper: Blast! He's gone!  
  
Hook: Obviously he's knocked out the only Decepticon capable of detecting his presence.   
  
Mixmaster: You're right! Trypticon wasn't able to last time - he'll slip by again!  
  
Bonecrusher: Hey Trypticon! We got Autobots on the ground!  
  
Servant: The Master sleeps! Dare not wake him!  
  
Hook: He'll get a rude awakening soon if we don't find the Autobot that attacked Scavenger!  
  
Servant: Take Scavenger to the repair bay, find his attacker, and destroy him!  
  
Scrapper: The nerve of him! We're a construction crew - not a defense unit!  
  
Bonecrusher: Forget it! Come on - I owe this chump; whoever he is!  
  
The Constructicons fan out. Mixmaster scouts amongst some junk.  
  
Mixmaster: Come out, Autobot! Come out where ever you are!  
  
Suddenly, a pile of heavy machinery collapses on Mixmaster, burying him. Bonecrusher and Scrapper run over and survey the surrounding.  
  
Bonecrusher: Blast it! Show yourself, Autobot coward!  
  
Scrapper: He's obviously using a cloaking device!   
  
Hook: Scavenger's sensor's were somehow able to detect him!  
  
Mixmaster: Then let's build a replica of those sensors!   
  
Mirage (vo): Assuming you have the time, Decepticons.  
  
Suddenly, another missile blasts the Constructicons, and throws them every which way. Scrapper, Mixmaster and Longhaul are knocked out.  
  
Bonecrusher: Blast it! Slagging Autobot! I'll tear you to pieces!  
  
Bonecrusher transforms into bulldozer mode and rams through the junk.  
  
Bonecruncher: I'll smash you!  
  
He tears through more junk.  
  
Bonecrusher: I'll...ahhh!  
  
Bonecrusher is also blasted.  
  
Hook: Trypticon! You are attacked and you sleep? What kind of commander are you?  
  
Servant: Silence! The Master orders you to find and terminate the Autobot!  
  
Hook: But...  
  
Mirage (vo): Too late Hook.  
  
Hook spins around, raising his gun, but then stops himself as he realizes that he's aiming at the fusion generator.  
  
Hook: What? The fusion generator!  
  
Mirage suddenly reappears, right in front of it, gun aimed.   
  
Mirage: Say goodbye to your project, Decepticon!  
  
Hook: No! My masterpiece!  
  
Suddenly, Sideswipe and Sundstreaker, car modes, race in and   
Transform to robot mode, aiming their weapons right at Mirage.  
  
Sunstreaker: Hold it right there, Mirage!  
  
Sideswipe: Optimus Prime didn't authorize this mission!  
  
Mirage: You fools! This fusion generator will power legions of Decepticon soldiers on Cybertron, it must be destroyed!  
  
Sunstreaker: Sorry, ghost-boy, you're going with us!  
  
Trypticon (vo): Enough!  
  
Suddenly, the city rumbles to life and transforms into the menacing Trypticon!  
  
Trypticon: Now, you all die!  
  
Trypticon opens his mouth to reveal a double-barrel plasma cannon.  
  
Hook: No! You'll destroy the fusion generator!  
  
Trypticon fires and the generator explodes, throwing Hook and the Autobots across the sandy terrain.  
  
Sunstreaker: Uhh...no... my finish is ruined!  
  
Sideswipe: Just be happy you're alive to repaint it another day!  
  
Sideswipe transforms into car mode.  
  
Sideswipe: C'mon - let's roll out of here!  
  
Mirage and Sunstreaker follow suite.  
  
Hook: No! No! Months of work! Tons of material! Wasted! Destroyed! You fool!  
  
Trypticon: Dare you question me?   
  
Hook: No! I'll leave that to Megatron! Once he discoveres the generator's been destroyed - he'll demote you from Earth force commander to janitor!  
  
Trypticon: I don't think so, Hook.   
  
Trypticon puts his face squarely into Hook's vicinity.  
  
Trypticon: Megatron will never know. And you will rebuild this fusion generator.  
  
Hook: You're mad! You can't...  
  
Trypticon: Or I will find others to build it for me!  
  
Trypticon opens a compartment on his head and a massive blaster erects from it, aimed at Hook.  
  
Trypticon: Now, get to work.  
  
Hook (sighs): Yes...commander.  
  
Cut To: Autobot city. Optimus Prime stands with Mirage, Jazz, Sunstreaker, and Sideswipe.  
  
Sideswipe: And then, the fusion generator was destroyed.  
  
Optimus Prime: This is terrible.  
  
Sunstreaker: I'll say! See this scratch? I'm gonna have to replace my entire windshield just to...  
  
Jazz: No, Sunstreaker. Prime's talking about the generator. We could have given the humans a chance to enjoy abundant energy without risk or environmental harm.  
  
Mirage: My duty as an Autobot warrior is to defend Cybertron. That generator powered the Decepticon army there; and as far as I'm concerned, I'm glad it's destroyed.  
  
Optimus Prime: Your priorities are backwards, Mirage. We owe this world for all of the harm our war has brought. The least we could do is...  
  
Mirage: The least we could do is ensure the defeat of the Decepticons Prime! It's you who's got his priorities backwards!  
  
Mirage turns to walk out.  
  
Mirage: I just hope they don't end up getting all of us killed.  
  
END.  
  



End file.
